Is this just creepy or what?

[celtic_crippler]

http://tlc.discovery.com/tv/toddlers-tiaras/toddlers-tiaras.html

This sort of thing gives me the hee-bee-jee-bees. Maybe it's just me but it just seems...wrong.

And this clip...
..just ...WOW...
http://tlc.discovery.com/videos/toddlers-tiaras-avas-dad.html

Anyway...how do you feel about "Tiaras & Toddlers"?

 

[Empty Hands]

The whole thing is a sickness. Parents who never got to be the pretty, popular beauty queen forcing their children to embrace adult sexuality before their time. It makes me ill.

I loved the scene in "Little Miss Sunshine" where the main character breaks into a Super Freak porno dance routine for her talent performance. All the other girls and parents acted with revulsion, but it was the perfect reflection of what they were making their kids do. A beautiful moment.

 

[seasoned]

This has always been very troublesome to me. I have raised two kids to adulthood, in a conventional way. Plenty of love, a lot of guidance, allowing them to become who they are. I guess I could say "to each there own", but IMO, this is just wrong.

 

[Stac3y]

Eww.

 

[celtic_crippler]

To me it's more child exploitation.

I find myself thinking of all the child stars that wound up having issues and wondering what will become of the children of Jon and Kate? What about Octomom's kids? What about these kids? What will the entertainment news have to report on them 15 - 20 years down the road?

 

[Kacey]

Ick... yet another way to help (force) children to grow up too soon. Despite the blogging of "Ava's Dad", in response to frequently asked questions:

From Pageant Dad Viewer Mail

This is child abuse. The parents should be locked up!
Getting a child involved with pageants is not child abuse. That’s ridiculous. If involving your child in activities is child abuse, that would mean putting an end to many activities -- we would then need to end cheer squads, karate, book clubs -- it would get ridiculous. There are child labor laws, yet every year we see thousands of girls selling cookies door to door. The more our children are engaged in the less trouble they are prone to get into. It’s called involvement...developing work ethic…becoming a productive member of society. Keeping our children engaged in activities is positive.

I find that this activity goes well beyond most others - when I hear about kids who have their teeth bleached, wear clothes that adult beauty competitors would envy - some who even have plastic surgery - this goes into obsession, generally for the parent(s). I see no way this could encourage a child to become a productive member of society, unless she (I've yet to see a similar contest aimed at boys) is one of the very few who becomes a model. To compare such modeling to book clubs is inane, even absurd - and to say that this is for the benefit of the children rather than the parents simply shows which set of blinders this father is wearing to validate his own daughter's participation - look, for example, at his description of dealing with tantrums:
The Right Attitude

Dealing with TantrumsAva does throw her tantrums. We try to console her way before she gets on stage. If at the last minute she doesn’t soothe, then I will give her a snack. I don’t think it’s bribing them to participate in the pageant so much as to avoid them making a scene. I work at a school district, so I can handle tantrums. Noise really doesn’t bother me, so long as participation continues.

"I don't think it's bribing them" - I don't know what else to call it.

I don't know what else he said; about this point I couldn't stomach any more of this topic.

 

[terryl965]

I am glad I have three boys that love dirt and Martial Arts, God Bless America.

 

[Empty Hands]

I am glad I have three boys that love dirt and Martial Arts, God Bless America.

That's just it, the Junior Sexpot League here really doesn't love the pageants either. Their parents force them into it. Those little girls would probably prefer to be playing in the dirt, eating bugs, or even taking martial arts.

 

[Nolerama]

Now I'm not saying throwing your kids into the pageant circuit is right. Personally, there are much better ways to feel better about your kids, like cultivating their thirst for knowledge in a variety of subjects, encouraging them in sporting activities in a way that's supportive and enriching for both the parents and children.

But then again, how do pageant parents differ from the same parents that push their kids to play really hard at school athletics? Or the kind of parents that push their kids ridiculously hard in school? They're out there. And as extreme as it can get, coupled with the obvious psychological damage it can cause the kids, I see no difference between conventional "extreme" parents, and those that push their children to compete in pageants like those exhibited in this thread.

It's an issue of taste more than a moral issue IMHO.

 

[Empty Hands]

But then again, how do pageant parents differ from the same parents that push their kids to play really hard at school athletics? Or the kind of parents that push their kids ridiculously hard in school? They're out there. And as extreme as it can get, coupled with the obvious psychological damage it can cause the kids, I see no difference between conventional "extreme" parents, and those that push their children to compete in pageants like those exhibited in this thread.

Those other pursuits can be damaging, yes. But they don't push children to ape and indulge in adult behavior and sexuality. They don't convince children to act and present themselves in a way that sends out sexual messages they don't understand. Lastly, excelling in academics or sports actually gives you something concrete, and of value. Of what value is excelling at pageants? The value of buying into the notion that your looks are the most important thing about you?

 

[Stac3y]

I am glad I have three boys that love dirt and Martial Arts, God Bless America.

Amen.

 

[Carol]

Trivia time Who is she?

a) A stunning collector's doll, who master dollmaker Karen Scott was inspired to paint after seeing a child beauty pageant

b) A stunning six year old girl that starred in a child beauty pageant

Anyone wanna take a guess?

 

[Bruno@MT]

This is just sick. These parents aer just living their fantasies through the life of their kids.

 

[Twin Fist]

kids beauty contest give me the willies

 

[Jade Tigress]

Trivia time Who is she?

a) A stunning collector's doll, who master dollmaker Karen Scott was inspired to paint after seeing a child beauty pageant

b) A stunning six year old girl that starred in a child beauty pageant

Anyone wanna take a guess?

I wanna say a (the eyes especially look like doll eyes). But I'm guessing the answer is probably b.

Child beauty pageants skeeve me out too. It all just seems so wrong. The psychological damage going on there....*shakes head*.

 

[celtic_crippler]

Those other pursuits can be damaging, yes. But they don't push children to ape and indulge in adult behavior and sexuality. They don't convince children to act and present themselves in a way that sends out sexual messages they don't understand. Lastly, excelling in academics or sports actually gives you something concrete, and of value. Of what value is excelling at pageants? The value of buying into the notion that your looks are the most important thing about you?

I think that hit the nail on the head...it's the "shudders" ...sexual behavior of a tot that's just plain sick.

No other child activity I can think of has that particular component. The only one that I admit may even come close is cheer leading, but it's nowhere near the extent of these pagents and the kids involved aren't toddlers.

 

[ronagle]

The whole thing is a sickness. Parents who never got to be the pretty, popular beauty queen forcing their children to embrace adult sexuality before their time. It makes me ill.

I loved the scene in "Little Miss Sunshine" where the main character breaks into a Super Freak porno dance routine for her talent performance. All the other girls and parents acted with revulsion, but it was the perfect reflection of what they were making their kids do. A beautiful moment.

Ramsey flashbacks....

 

[girlbug2]

Trivia time Who is she?

a) A stunning collector's doll, who master dollmaker Karen Scott was inspired to paint after seeing a child beauty pageant

b) A stunning six year old girl that starred in a child beauty pageant

Anyone wanna take a guess?


quote]

that picture is truly disturbing! It has to be a doll...please let it be a doll...

 

[Carol]

that picture is truly disturbing! It has to be a doll...please let it be a doll...

I wish I could say it was a doll. Its a child. Modeling since age 1.

 

[KELLYG]

Kiddy padgets go aginst my grain. They are dressing way to old and provocative for there age. I feel that these kids are being pimped out by their parents, and every perv for a 100 miles shows up to watch.